NGWA Announces Congressional Briefing on Source Water Protection and Drinking Water Wells

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Event to Take Place During 2018 NGWA Groundwater Fly-In and Water Resources Congressional Summit, March 6-7

(WESTERVILLE, Ohio — March 5, 2018) — The National Ground Water Association and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, in conjunction with U.S. Reps. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and David McKinley (R-W.Va.), and Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), will hold a congressional briefing on protecting our nation’s source water and drinking water wells on Wednesday, March 7, from 2-3 p.m. at the U.S. Capitol.

As improperly managed private wells can be a source of groundwater contamination, it is important not to underestimate the impact that 15 million of them can have on source water quality, though they are often overlooked in the source water protection conversation.

Panelists will elaborate on the various issues related to private drinking water wells and source water protection, and will highlight free educational materials and resources available to private well owners and homeowners.

Congressional briefing speakers include:

David Henrich, CWD/PI, CVCLD, NGWA president

Nathan Ohle, executive director, RCAP

Steve Wilson, groundwater hydrologist and program director, PrivateWellClass.org and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“This briefing is designed to provide congressional staff with an overview of the resources available to their constituents related to water quality, water protection, and the resources available to ensure an abundance of clean water,” said Lauren Schapker, government affairs director for NGWA. “NGWA has worked with RCAP for a number of years to raise awareness on private well and source water protection, and this briefing is a natural extension of those efforts.”

About the NGWA Groundwater Fly-In 2018

Under joint sponsorship with the Irrigation Association and the Water Quality Association, the 2018 Groundwater Fly-In and Water Resources Congressional Summit is organized to increase the water industry’s profile on Capitol Hill regarding the availability, quality, and safety of our nation’s water resources. The 2018 Groundwater Fly-In will ensure members of Congress are aware of the important role groundwater plays in providing drinking water, supporting agriculture, and fueling various sectors of the economy.

The 2018 NGWA Groundwater Fly-In will focus on four major themes:

Investing in water infrastructure

The farm bill and the rural economy

Geoscience and the workforce

Groundwater as natural infrastructure.

To RSVP for the congressional briefing, please email events@rcap.org. To learn more about the 2018 NGWA Groundwater Fly-In, click here​.

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The National Ground Water Association is a not-for-profit professional society and trade association for the global groundwater industry. Our members around the world include leading public and private sector groundwater scientists, engineers, water well system professionals, manufacturers, and suppliers of groundwater-related products and services. The Association’s vision is to be the leading groundwater association advocating for responsible development, management, and use of water